Anti-loosening electric connector mounting structure

Abstract

A data storage device mounting structure includes a housing having electric connector mounting slots located in the peripheral wall thereof, electric connectors respectively detachably mounted in the electric connector mounting slots and electrically connected to a circuit board inside the housing by respective electrical wires, each electric connector having two retaining arms suspended from two opposite lateral walls thereof and a retaining space defined between each lateral wall and one respective retaining arm, and retainers respectively set in the retaining spaces to lock up the electric connectors in the respective electric connector mounting slots, each retainer having a C-shaped retainer body engaged into one respective retaining space and two finger tips respectively extended from two opposite ends of the C-shaped retainer body and stopped at the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the housing around the respective electric connector mounting slot.

What the invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An anti-loosening electric connector mounting structure, comprising a housing having a plurality of electric connector mounting slots located in a peripheral wall thereof, and a plurality of electric connectors respectively and detachably mounted in said electric connector mounting slots, each said electric connector comprising two retaining arms respectively suspended from two opposite lateral walls thereof and respectively hooked on an outer surface of said peripheral wall of said housing around the respective said electric connector mounting slot, wherein each said electric connector comprises two retaining spaces respectively defined between the two opposite lateral walls thereof and the respective said retaining arms; the anti-loosening electric connector mounting structure further comprises a plurality of retainers respectively inserted into each said retaining space to force the respective said retaining arms into positive engagement with the outer surface of said peripheral wall of said housing, each said retainer comprising a C-shaped retainer body detachably engaged into one respective said retaining space and two finger tips respectively extended from said C-shaped retainer body at two opposite sides and stopped at the outer surface of said peripheral wall of said housing. 
     
     
       2. The anti-loosening electric connector mounting structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said retainers are Ω-shaped resilient wire rod members, each further comprising two curved arm portions respectively connected between two opposite ends of said C-shaped retainer body and said two finger tips and a narrow access gap defined between said two curved arm portions. 
     
     
       3. The anti-loosening electric connector mounting structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the combined length between respective distal ends of said two finger tips of each said retainer is larger than the vertical height of said two retaining arms of each said electric connectors. 
     
     
       4. The anti-loosening electric connector mounting structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the combined length between respective distal ends of said two finger tips of each said retainer is larger than the vertical height of said electric connector mounting slots of said housing. 
     
     
       5. The anti-loosening electric connector mounting structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said retaining arm of each said electric connector is terminated in a respective barbed hook portion for hooking on the outer surface of said peripheral wall of said housing around the respective said electric connector mounting slot.